Show Stopper

BY SARA GIZA

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MARC LEVINE

Marc Levine and Star of Tina-The Tina Turner Muscial Adrienne Warren

➻Some things in life are never planned for, yet somehow all of the pieces serendipitously fall into place so perfectly that one can’t help but to believe in fate. This was the case for Broadway

Producer and entrepreneur Marc Levine.

Born in Queens, New York, Levine grew up in

Long Island. As a young child, he was exposed to both theatre and business—not necessarily two industries that people think of being paired together or that many have equal access to. “My mom did community theatre. I used to go with her and serve as an usher,” he recalled. He fondly recalls his parents taking him to see “Pippin” and loved being a part of that world. “But, at the same time, I loved business,” he said. Simultaneously, he would regularly go to work with his father, where he learned fi rsthand every aspect of running a successful business, including the art of negotiation. Instead of playing Little League like most kids his age, he saw it as a business opportunity, walking up and down the aisles selling items.

When he was seventeen, his parents invested in a show. Getting to see the behind-the-scenes action, along with the added perks, gave him a glimpse into a world that most could only dream of. Marc Levine would later graduate with a marketing degree from Boston University. Prior to college, he worked in catering. Due to his impeccable work ethic and people skills, various caterers continued to contact him post college, in their search for additional staff . Recognizing the need and realizing that he could do it himself, Levine started his fi rst business Premier Party Servers in 1989, but it certainly wouldn’t be his last.

In 2001, Levine started Modelbartenders and it is still going strong today. It was the fi rst company that gave clients the chance to hand-pick their event and promotion staff , by viewing pictures online of both good looking and talented people.

“Today, I mainly handle sales, but if clients want me to be at their event to oversee it, I will,” he said. It gives people the chance to really personalize the experience, down to every detail. Take for example, a wedding. Everyone expects that there will be food and fl owers. “But, when they look

TOP LEFT: Marc at the Opening Night of his fi rst credited Broadway Show, Side Show, November 2018

TOP RIGHT: Tom Kirdahy and Marc Levine with Best Musical 2019 Tony for Hadestown.

LOWER LEFT: Marc Levine with friends

LOWER RIGHT: Emilio and Gloria Estefan with Marc Levine at On Your Feet LA Opening.

around the room and see that every server and member of staff is six foot tall, that’s something they’re going to remember,” he said. It makes every special occasion, even more remarkable and memorable.

Yet, over the years, Marc Levine’s love of theatre has never wavered. Even the number of playbills that he’s kept from shows, is in the hundreds. His transition into producer came from an unexpected invite, but one that he jumped at. “About seven to eight years ago, someone contacted me to ask if I’d invest in a show,” he said, adding “you don’t go in looking to make bank. You go in because of the passion, seeing it on stage, knowing you’re a part of the process of making it happen and supporting the arts.” This is particularly important, he noted, as generally speaking $25,000 is the minimum investment on Broadway and you have to reach 85% capacity

just to break even.

Since then, Levine has produced several shows, including “On Your Feet,” “Be More Chill” and “Hadestown.” His most recent production, pre COVID-19, “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” premiered in November 2019, to critical acclaim and garnering great reviews. Marc Levine was among the 2020 Broadway Global Producer of the Year nominees and “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” was nominated for Outstanding New Broadway Musical 2019-2020 by the Outer Critics Circle. “It’s still like a dream come true, even though it wasn’t planned,” Levine said. When many producers were fl ocking to the west coast in search of the next great thing, he followed his gut and took a fl ight to Utah.

“I fl ew to Utah to see a show called “Fly More Than You Fall,” after reading some interesting articles about it,” he said. The musical centers on a 14-year-old girl, who utilizes her creativity to cope with her mother’s diagnosis, via a story that parallels her real life, reminding viewers that “even though your heart is grieving keep believing.” It will surely touch the hearts of many and Marc Levine selected it as the piece he wants to be Lead Producer on, using the time of the pandemic to shape his team.

“I’ve been working on bringing a predominantly female and POC team together, the voices meant to be telling the story,” he said. He chooses the pieces he wants to be involved in based on a combination of the people and the story itself. Explaining, Levine said “I need to be passionate about it and believe in it, if I’m going to ask you to put money on it. I need to have some skin in it.” With “Fly More Than You Fall” he has plans not only for Broadway itself, but for it to be shown in regional theatres everywhere.

Levine fi nds inspiration in both people and art. “I like being around creative people, that’s my passion. It’s not about monetizing art but sharing the art,” he said, adding “I love making parties. It’s about sharing and being a part of other people’s

TOP LEFT: Lifespan of a Fact Opening Night with Daniel Radcliffe.

TOP RIGHT: Marc Levine holding the Olivier Award received for Best Musical Revival Company April 2019

MIDDLE RIGHT: With actress Doreen Montalvo on the Red Carpet

LOWER RIGHT: Noshing and Toasting with Patti LuPone at Company West End Opening Night.

experience. I love the personal story and seeing the other things people have gone on to do.” He takes great joy in knowing that a young actor or actress got their start with him, and have since gone on to fl ourishing careers with their own billboards.

Marc Levine seems to have endless energy and perhaps that’s because he sees that the possibilities are endless. As if theatre production and his company Modelbartenders weren’t enough, he has recently expanded with two other businesses. He is the President of Premier Lifestyle Management, which off ers personal lifestyle and concierge services to help people with a wide variety of needs including running errands, personal shopping, decorating, travel and event planning and obtaining entertainment tickets. He is also the founder of and recently expanded, Art Consultant

Gent.

Levine has always been an avid art collector. Not only does he personally love art, he has supported numerous charities and nonprofi ts by participating in their art auctions.

“I would say that about 90 percent of the art in my offi ce is from diff erent charities,” he said. Art Consultant Gent was formed as a consulting and cataloguing art collections business. “I love cultivating relationships with and promoting new artists, especially younger and POC artists, to hopefully give them a voice to a wider range and platform,” he said, “as a way to partner together.” Levine has paired that love with the needs of his clients. While he has certainly had people contact him with interest in purchasing pieces, during the challenging times of the pandemic and the “zoom meeting era” there were suddenly many requests about borrowing art, staging and creating an aesthetically pleasing background.

It would be easy for someone as successful as Marc Levine to have a large ego. Yet, if one is given a chance to speak with him for only an hour, they would quickly see how genuine, kind, humble and down-to-earth he is. Therefore, it came as no surprise that he noted his relationships with others as being the one thing he is most proud of. “My personal relationships, whether we met in person or on social media, people have really given me the confi dence to raise money for shows,” he said, adding “the fact that I’ve been able to maintain those relationships. They say that money changes people, but even if a show loses money the investors are still friends with me.”

“Now, in the world we’re living in, people need something to look forward to. Theatre should be fun. Art should be fun. There’s enough stress out there! So, I’m using this time to see how I can expand the reach,” he said.